davidc

I'm curious to see what the denizens of BC&H have to say on this topic. I understand there is a certain amount of disdain for authors such as Acharya S. 'round these parts. Notwithstanding, there seems to be at least tacit agreement from Christian authors that the Gospel of Jesus somehow correlates to celestial movements.

The iconography of various characters found in the OT/NT seems to coincide with the Precession of the Equinoxes. Moses declares himself the "Ram of God" as the Age of Aries ascends, he condemns the worship of the Bull...as the Age of Taurus closes. The Mithraic Tauroctony appears to be another expression of this idea. Jesus, ushering in the Age of Pisces, is associated with the fish.

So, what of it, infidels and exegetes? Surely, God either arranged the stars just so, or Occam's Razor has a better explanation.

http://jesusastrotheology.netfirms.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_deity

Doug Shaver

Never mind

RED DAVE

A discussion of the issue of mythology and cosmology over a very long time frame

Hamlet's Mill

http://edj.net/mc2012/mill1.htm

RED DAVE

judge

Interesting. Where does this happen?

GenesisNemesis

Hm. Can you explain why we see Pagan gods in the constellations? Or perhaps we just put them there...

judge

I think men, as would be expected, used what they had to help them mark seasons, and to divide up the year. After all they had to know when to plant crops etc.

Using the lunar month was one way ,but of course it is not exactly 28 days (so problems creep in).

If we make the 28 days into 30 days we almost get 12 months in a year (we just add 5 days or so on to the end of the year to help us) , and how else might one divide up a year?
And so, perhaps, the Zodiac is born. Each month presents us with a different part of the Zodiac or ecliptic, at say, sunrise.
And so , names are given to the portions, or twelfths, of the ecliptic.
Of course, today, we dont need to know these things (we have atomic clocks) and so we have lost touch with what was for "anceint" man an important part of his world.
Eventually, also, men become aware of the precession of the equinoxes as well, and in time these important parts of life find their place in the mythology of the culture.
Josephus IIRC tell us the temple (?) had the zodiac on the floor at some place and that the high priests garments had zodiacal references. Even the twelve tribes of Israel seem to have a connection the the twelve signs of the Zodiac.

I dont know if any of this helps as it is a rather large subject. I did , some time ago start this thread Philo,Genesis and the stars , but it didn't get mucyh interest (maybe you'll have more luck)

Roger Pearse

The 7th century Syriac scientific writer, Severus Sebokht, Bishop of Kinnesrin, in his long work on the Constellations, spends several chapters debunking the whole idea that pictures of things appear in the sky. He attacks it as characteristic of the stupidity and superstition of paganism.

All the best,

Roger Pearse

Cheerful Charlie

I suspect Paine was referencing the rather popular Egyptian Ra, plus other popular sun cults, Sol Invictus, Helios, et al popular in the days of Jesus Christ.

Cheerful Charlie

Cheerful Charlie

He didn't understand the concept of mnenomics?